


The Great Escape

by Zee_impala_angel



Series: Make It Better [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel (Supernatural), Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha Sam Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Minor Character Death, Omega Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:14:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29365305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zee_impala_angel/pseuds/Zee_impala_angel
Summary: Dean is taken to Castiel's pack with one mission, rescue everyone.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Make It Better [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139399
Comments: 11
Kudos: 38





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome Back! 
> 
> Ho wow, ya'll. This fic is getting much longer than I had ever planned it to be, and yet here we are, starting part 2! Just as I had planned before, a chapter will be posted once a week. This one isn't quite as planned out as Part 1, however I know EXACTLY where we're headed. This is a reminder that I do NOT have a beta and so all mistakes are my own.
> 
> Part 2 is completely in Dean's POV so we're going to get a first hand look at how the week spent with Castiel went and how the escape is going to go. That is if they CAN escape *evil noises*
> 
> If you're here for Part 2, I can't thank you enough for coming back. Things are going to get worse before they can get better.
> 
> Without further ado, Enjoy!

From the moment his mother died when he was a pup, multiple moments throughout Dean's life forced him to feel overwhelmed. Watching his father drink himself into oblivion from the grief of losing his wife. Presenting omega in a motel alone with his tired little brother pup. Watching the news as Chicago went dark. The feeling of helplessness never got easier no matter how many times he was forced to deal with it. Being dragged down the hallway of the prison he was in, two guards on each side of him grabbing his arms tight, was one of those moments.

A rubber band was pulling and pulling, growing taught while a small voice in the back of his mind repeated _Cas Cas Cas Cas_. Dean wanted to be concerned, worry about that tiny voice, but he was more worried about whether he'd see the alpha again. The alpha that had taken care of him. The alpha that had almost died for him. The alpha that was currently growing further and further away as he was pushed ahead of Dean. The escape plan, as far as Dean was concerned, required him being brought to Castiel’s pack. They did everything Sam asked, and now all they could do was pray the fake bite was believable. 

The guards took a sharp left and pulled Dean into the same room they had been ever since his heat had started. It looked like any other doctor's office, but that table in the middle of the room was far from as welcoming as his actual doctor's had been. A nurse was inside, slipping gloves on and directing the guards on where to put Dean. He barely had time to process what was happening before the guards threw him face down, legs spread, and presented onto the freezing examination table. The nurse's unfriendly hands violated him in ways he tried to convince himself was okay no matter how many times he'd gone through the examination. His legs and arms trembled uncontrollably as the nurse shoved some sort of tube up his ass and cringed at the familiar burn as they were never careful. His heat was done, it had been sometime during his and Cas’s last romp, but there was still anxiety bubbling up the longer he was stuck in the room. 

Dean whimpered and shook as the nurse pulled the tube out roughly and plopped it down on the counter next to the table. "Call Dr. Adler," He commanded the guard outside. 

Dean's pulse thumped heavily in neck. They hadn’t done that last time. Had Cas not pulled out quick enough? Was he? Bile started to rise in his throat. He couldn't be pregnant, he just couldn't. Not here. Not like this. 

There was some shuffling at the door before a man came busting in. "Did it work? Is he-"

"No," The nurse interrupted. "That fucking mut couldn't do one thing right." 

Dean’s arms gave out and he collapsed against the table. Tears welled in Dean's eyes as relief flooded through him. He wasn't with pup. Cas kept his promise and Dean no longer had to worry about raising a pup in the sex torture dungeon he’d found himself in. Couldn’t do one thing right? _He did everything right._

"And from the looks of it," the nurse continued, "he never knotted the bitch either."

There was so much Dean wanted to thank the alpha for. Not for just keeping his promise, but for protecting him and making him feel safe. For caring for him. For everything. Cas had been just as much a prisoner as he had, and yet he did everything he could to make Dean feel safe, all while being in his own rut. Cas was a one of a kind alpha. You didn't just let alpha's like him go. He just hoped he’d get to see him again. 

"God damnit," Dr. Adler cursed. "well he's no use to us now." A few guards came in and grabbed Dean’s arms. "Take him to the pit."

Dean stumbled as they hauled him off the table. Fear surged through him. Anything called “The Pit” wouldn’t be promising and, after his time spent in the hell hole of a prison, he knew nothing good was about to happen. Dean tried to struggle in the guards hold as they carried him towards the door. 

“Hang on a second, guys,” Dean tried to reason, his voice quivering through the beating of his racing heart. “You don’t have to do this.”

The nurse grinned as Dean was forced into his space. The expression reminded Dean of the christmas program he and Sam watched every year, The Grinch. “Have to? No.” The nurse gave a sharp chuckle, “but I've been wanting this since I discovered abominations like you existed.”

Dean smirked to cover his nervousness. “I didn’t realize you were so obsessed with me,” he started. “We could have had something special.” The nurse's smile fell replaced by a grimace. Dean would have laughed at the reaction, but the guards were already gripping him tighter and hauling him out the door.

"Wait!" One of the guards shouted from behind them. The guards turned and Dean watched as the new guard lifted the black visor of their helmet. 

_Sam_

It had been months since he’d last seen his little brother. Some nights he could still hear Sam’s shouts as they were both dragged away from each other in the looted gas station. Dean started to struggle but one look from Sam told him to relax. He could do that. He could relax. But Sammy. It was Sammy. 

"I have orders to take him to his alpha's pack,” Sam stated. “They're mated."

"What?!" Dr. Adler sprinted out of the room. He stalked up to Dean and grabbed his chin to force it to the side. Dean groaned and snarled from the force. "You've got to be kidding me!" He released Dean's face and stepped back. "You'll give it up for any old knot won't you, bitch?

"Fuck you," Dean growled. 

Dr.Adler grinned. "Fine. Take the bitch to his knot. He can have a few more nights of fun. They don't have long anyways."

What the hell did that mean? Sam gave him a look before stepping up to let the guards holding Dean push him towards his savior. 

Sam closed his visor and nodded at the guards holding Dean. "I'll take him. You guys go take a break."

"Thank fuck." Dean stumbled forward into Sam as the one guard threw him forward. "Here. Don't let him get away."

The two guards stalked away and the two brothers stood still a moment as they watched them disappear around the bend of the hallway. Sam gripped his arm once they were gone and dragged Dean swiftly down the hallway and into a small alcove that housed a fire extinguisher. 

"Perfect timing, Sam." Dean huffed once they were safely tucked away. He couldn't see his little brother through the uniform and visor so he slowly reached up and grabbed the helmet to pull it off. Sam took the helmet into his own hands once freed and smiled as Dean placed his hands on his cheeks to take him all in. The long unruly hair, the crinkles around his eyes, the smile. Sam was real and standing right in front of him. 

Dean threw his arms around Sam’s shoulders and pulled him close. He couldn’t fully scent Sam through the black turtle neck and uniform, but the possibility was close enough to calm him. Sam embraced him tight pulling a small laugh through Dean's lips.

Dean swallowed back his tears and said, “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Believe it.” Sam pulled away first and looked around. Dean followed suit and relaxed further when no one was milling about. "I brought you this." Sam produced Dean's soiled loincloth and he reddened. He'd forgotten he was still naked. Dean grabbed the cloth that still wreaked of his own slick and even some of Cas's spend, and started wrapping it around himself. 

"How’d you escape? How are you here?” he asked breathless. 

Sam looked away as Dean covered himself up. “It’s a long story. Did Castiel fill you in on the plan?”

Dean nodded. “Sort of. He’s a little hazy on the specifics. All he could remember was mates, three, and garden.”

Sam eyed his neck. “You understood the mates part, obviously. What else do you need filling in on?” Sam cast his eyes down the hallways again.

“Everything, Sam.” Dean rolled his eyes in irritation, “Just tell me the plan.”

Sam looked around again. Dean glanced and saw a nurse standing not too far away, facing away. “Come on, we should hurry." Sam whispered.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Dean frowned once again. 

"It's Castiel," Sam said as he grabbed Dean's arm and led him down the hallway and past the nurse. “We need you there, quick.” 

Oh shit. Was Cas's rut not over? His eyes hadn't been red that morning, Dean was sure of it. Or what if he got hurt? Dean's pulse hammered in his throat. “Sammy, what happened? Is he okay?”

Sam continued to push him down the curved hallway. "The founding company, Morningstar, has started a new program and we can’t figure out what it is. The group i’m with, our methods are changing to try and keep up, but-” Sam paused long enough for Dean to turn and face his little brother. “-the plan to get you out hasn’t changed. No matter what, in the evening of day three, we’re moving. You’re getting out, Dean. All of you.”

Dean studied his brother's eyes. He was still so young, but had clearly grown in the months they’d been apart. He was only twenty-four years old and planning to storm the death star. 

"How can you be so sure?"

"The plan. It's practically fail-proof." Sam pushed him to keep moving as more doctors, nurses, and guards rounded the hallway.

"What IS the plan?" Dean whispered as the further down they got, the more guards suddenly appeared.

Sam put his head down low, close to his ear. "You have to find a way out. Get all the omegas and pups to the garden. We'll take it from there."

"Gee, you make it sound so simple, Sam." Dean grit out.

"I know you've escaped before, Dean."

Dean scoffed. "If I had escaped I wouldn't be here right now, Sam."

Dean could practically hear the eye roll coming from behind him. "You know what I mean. You've made it to the garden before. Do it again."

They breezed past the nurses and guards without suspicion. "I was by myself then," Dean argued once far enough away, "and I couldn't even get myself out. Now you're asking me to rescue an entire pack?" 

"I know you can do it, Dean. Trust me."

Dean glanced around and didn't see anyone. He forced them to stop before they got too close to the group of guards. Sam’s visor was still down, but he tried to reach his eyes anyways. "I do trust you, Sam. I do. But this ain't your plan, it's theirs."

“Hey!” Dean turned to see a guard slowly making their way towards them. “Obey, mutt!”

The guard was getting closer, shouting for Dean to obey. Sam raised his hand to halt the guard and looked back down to Dean.

"Get moving, mutt," Sam growled loud enough for the guard to hear. Dean rolled his eyes and turned back around allowing Sam to continue pushing him down the way. 

The guard that had spotted them eyed Dean suspiciously. "Do you need help?" They asked Sam.

Sam didn't stop to regard the question. "I got it, thanks."

Down the way, more guards appeared through an open doorway that looked similar to the dome entry points. Dean frowned at the nearly twenty guards milling about, half holding up assault rifles. His time with his brother was up. There was no choice but to take his brother's word and pray the plan went off without a hitch. Sam continued to lead him towards the doorway and passed all the armed guards. 

Dean squinted as the afternoon sun beat down on him as he entered his new temporary home. The clearing was much closer to the main gate than the other dome and featured multiple huts. If Dean hadn’t been aware of the guards, dome, and being half naked, he’d have assumed he walked into a crowded campsite in the middle of August. Sam continued to lead him past picnic tables and the fire pit until they reached the edge of the clearing. He pointed down a small hill where, in the center, was a large group of people. 

Sam shook Dean’s arm to get his attention back. "You have three days. After sunset. That's when we move."

Dean nodded in understanding, the rubber band that had been pulling loosened a bit. Castiel was nearby and he needed to talk to the alpha immediately. He turned to face his brother one last time before all hell would break loose. 

"Keep yourself safe, Sammy," Dean said, a sad smile on his lips. 

Sam chuckled, "I should be saying that to you."

Dean gave a real smile and winked. "Hey, I've done alright for myself so far." 

"Three days, Dean."

He watched as his brother retreated and the doors closed between them with a heavy thud. “Three days,” Dean mumbled to the closed doors. With a heavy heart, Dean turned back to regard the small crowd down the small hill. There was no going back. 

Dean stared after Castiel and his pack. People were crying and not in a "I'm so happy you're back" kind of way. Every single one of the people around Dean were counting on him to deliver them from the evil they'd been subjected to for years. Each of the people had a story, had a life, and they all deserved to live. 

"Who's that?" Someone gasped, pointing at him.

Castiel looked up and met his gaze. The rubber band that had been loosening relaxed all in one go. Dean released all the air from his lungs that he hadn't even been aware he was holding back. Cas was alive. Cas was safe. 

"That's Dean," Cas said, eyes never leaving his. "He's going to save us"

"He's going to save us?" Another turned to watch Dean as he slowly approached the group.

"How?"

"Who is he?"

"He's an omega? What could he even do?"

"Alpha what's going on?"

Castiel stood, the two omega females still clinging to him. Dean pushed down the wave of jealousy bubbling up. They were probably Cas’s pup's mother's. Cas had said he prefered male omegas so It was fine. Everything was fine. Dean took a moment to wonder why he even cared. They weren't mates or anything.

"Everyone please calm down." Cas directed, eyes never leaving Dean’s as he slipped put of the omegas grasps and met Dean on his approach. 

Dean's heart rate picked up again the closer Cas got. He could feel himself leaning forward towards the alpha and had to actively stop his feet from moving. They hadn't mated. He was being ridiculous. 

"Dean," Castiel's deep gravel voice soothed the remaining tension in Dean's gut. A wave of sadness washed off the alpha nearly doing him in. "Are you alright?"

Dean nodded. "Yea, Cas. I'm fine." He could see redness in Castiel's eyes, but not the rut kind of redness. The alpha had been crying. "Are you? What happened?"

"Did they hurt you?" Cas asked, ignoring Dean’s question.

"No more than usual," Castiel frowned at him, "but Cas, I need to talk to you." 

One of the omegas that had been clinging to Cas stepped up next to them. Her long dark hair flowed over her exposed shoulders and her eyes were wide with something Dean couldn't put his finger on. Her scent was wild, but being as they just met, he wasn't going to try and decipher the different notes.

"You're going to save them?" She asked earnestly.

"Yea I'm-" Dean paused, "wait who?" It was a strange way to ask that question. 

"Our pups," she said, gaze boring into Dean's. "You're going to rescue our pups."

"I-" there was something Dean was missing, he could feel it. His instinct was to not give any more hope than necessary. For their sake, and for his. If he couldn't deliver on a promise, he'd never forgive himself. 

“All in time, Amelia,” Cas soothed the omega. “He’s just arrived and I need to show him to our hut.” The omega cast her eyes away and nodded. The others were not too far behind them, watching carefully. 

Cas pulled Dean’s attention back to him by resting his hand on his shoulder and pulling him away. Dean’s shoulder lit up from the alpha’s touch and his inner omega sighed from the much needed contact. Cas was safe, warm, and home. Though his brother was far away once again, he knew, after their week together, that he could trust the alpha with his life. The alpha had proved himself of that within their first twenty-four hours together.

He led Dean back towards the entrance and to one of the many huts surrounding the clearing. While the hut he shared with Cas had been just a cabin in the woods, this new one was an entire campsite. Each hut looked like a tiny cabin built for no more than two people on a few day long trip. The wood was old and some logs were warped, but they seemed sturdy enough for having still stood tall after a few years in the dome. Once again, Dean had found himself wistful of a yearned life of camping trips and equality; a life he hoped he’d one day get to experience. Though, if they made it out safely, he wondered if he’d ever look at camping the same again.

The hut Castiel led him too was closest to the entry, facing away. It looked more worn than the others, and slightly smaller, but if Cas had been living in it alone, Dean supposed Cas had decided there was no need for him to have a larger space. The inside was bare spet a large cot pushed up along the far corner. Dean stopped near the center of the hut to take it all in. Two years Cas had spent in the empty hut. Two years of solitude and grief. Dean’s heart broke.

Castiel turned to face him and reached forward but retracted his hand almost immediately. Dean froze. He wanted Cas to touch him, but also didn't. Things between them were going to be more complicated than he realized. 

"Your bite," Castiel gestured to Dean's neck, "it's already starting to heal." Dean caught a scent of disappointment leaking through Cas’s scent.

Dean touched this own neck self-consciously and covered the bite mark. "That’s the least of our problems."

Cas tilted his head with a questioning squint, “What do you mean?” 

Dean shuffled on his feet. The emotions rolling off Cas were making him almost dizzy. He placed a hand on his stomach to try and tame the flips his stomach was doing. When he looked up, Castiel's eyes were blown wide. 

"No…"

"No!" Dean almost choked as he waved his hands and shook his head. "I'm not with pup, it's not that."

Castiel visibly and emotionally relaxed, his head dropping to his chest. "Oh, thank god." 

"Yea no kidding," Dean breathed. “Doctor douche canoe wasn’t very happy with you, but this,” he pointed to the fake mating bite, “I’m pretty sure got me out of being executed.” 

That got Cas’s attention. “Executed?!” Rage surged from the alpha in waves as his face went through a multitude of emotions.

Dean found himself relaxing in the rotting meat scent of rage that filled the small space. His alpha was upset at the mere thought of him being hurt and he did his best to stop his inner omega from preening. “Hey, alpha, it’s okay,” Dean soothed quickly, hands up as he stepped closer. “I’m okay. I made it here. It’s going to be okay.”

Cas stared him down but didn’t move as Dean inched closer. “This is far from okay, Dean. You could have-”

“But I didn’t, right?” Dean stopped a half a step away from Cas. “I’m here in one piece.”

Cas’s shoulders tensed as he chewed on his lip. If Dean hadn’t been watching his every move, he would have missed the way Cas swayed into his space just a fraction of an inch before backing off. “That you are.”

Dean smiled and Cas finally relaxed. The scent of rotting meat slowly drifted away, replaced by Dean’s favorite scent of a salty sea he’d grown accustomed to mean Cas was content. "I got to speak to Sam.”

“Yea?” Cas asked, tensing up slightly. “What did he say?”

“He gave me the lowdown on the plan. I got most of it right yesterday. We need to find a way out of here and the garden thing was correct. I gotta get y'all to it so they can get you all out."

"And the pups?" Cas asked, his body continuing to tense up.

Dean squinted, "well yea Cas, I said everyone. That includes pups."

Cas shook his head, "no, I mean the ones that were taken."

"Taken? What do you mean?"

Cas took a deep breath and looked away. A scent that Dean couldn’t quite put his finger on but was unmistakably sadness wafted his way. "While we were-” Cas stopped and swallowed and Dean started to grow worried, “they-"

"Cas?" Dean stepped back into Cas’s space. The alpha was hurting in a way he hadn’t seen before.

The apha took in a shaky breath, "My pups. Claire and Jack. They've been taken."

"What?" Dean’s pulse raced as he processed the new information. The pups being taken must have been what Sam had tried to warn him about. If the people responsible for capturing them were taking pups, then it made sense that plans would be changing. 

Cas shook his head. "Sam showed me. They were doing something to the pups, Jack was th-" Cas stopped and tried to gather himself. 

Dean placed a hand on Castiel’s arm and squeezed in reassurance. "Cas-"

Almost instantly, the alpha fell into Dean’s arms and gasped a shaky breath. "He was so scared and alone, Dean.” he cried, “and I couldn't - I tried to - but Sam-"

Dean held the alpha tight as he fell apart. The anguish and pain surrounding him brought tears to his own eyes. "It's gonna be okay, Cas. I promise. We'll get Jack and we'll get Claire."

"How?"

Dean squeezed him tighter. "I don't know yet, but I'm going to do everything I can to get them back to you. All of them.” Dean stepped out of Castiel’s grasp. He placed his hands on either side of the alpha’s face and brushed a few tears away with his thumbs. He was giving the alpha false hope, but Dean still planned to deliver as best he could. 

“Do you hear me?" Dean shook the alpha’s face in question.

Cas closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's all my fault-"

Dean gripped his face tight and lifted the alphas gaze back to him. "Listen to me. You made me a promise when we first met. You kept your promise when every instinct told you not to.” Cas sniffled but kept his gaze. “I'm going to make you a promise right now. I'm going to get your pup's back and I'm going to help everyone here escape."

Cas sniffed again but stood a little taller. "That's a big promise, Dean."

"I know,” Dean pulled the alpha back into a hug, eyes hard as he tried to think about what his next steps would be, “and I keep my promises."

"Okay.” Cas wrapped his arms around Dean tight. They stood there, holding one another for a few minutes before Cas finally broke the silence. “I trust you."

There wasn’t a doubt in Dean’s mind that he wouldn’t do everything he could to heal the pain the alpha was experiencing. He only prayed that, when the time came, he could deliver on that promise.


	2. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean meets some of Castiel's pack members

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your weekly reminder that this is NOT beta'd so all mistakes are my own!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

For the first time in years, Dean could feel the tension in his shoulders release as water rushed past his fingertips. The few birds that had found themselves either trapped or caged with them were chirping playfully among themselves, their liveliness echoing through the small canopy as Dean bathed in the shallow creek. The symphony of rushing water and wildlife echoing around him painted a picture he believed couldn’t exist in such a place. Out on a camping trip, enjoying nature as he allowed capitalism to fade away for just a weekend. Freedom.

The creek was much smaller than he had anticipated, but in a fucked up way, it was beautiful. It was pressed down beneath trees that curved over the water, filtering rays of the setting sun. A few of the trees along the dome border were at risk of collapsing into the area as the ground beneath had eroded from the flowing water. The trees that were tall enough to block the view of the dome border were on one end while the hill on the opposite side was tall enough to block any view of the cabins back in the clearing. Being so close to the water, the grass along the bank was a vibrant shade of green that Dean longed to run his hands through it just to make sure it was real. It was calm. Peaceful.

The alpha had gone silent a few hours before, only using his eyes and hands to communicate and grunting and humming yes or no answers. Dean understood the gravity of the situation they had walked into. Cas's pups were gone, Jack was injected with something, and Claire could have been anywhere. Cas, of course, knew where the nursery was, but Dean couldn’t help but wonder if that was only a temporary spot. The facility was massive and the pups could be anywhere. If only there was a way Dean could get a hold of Sam.

Cas was a few yards down from Dean, slowly and carefully cupping the flowing water up to his own body in a feeble attempt to wash away the evidence of their week together. The alpha’s limbs looked heavy and slow, and still Dean couldn't help but stare. There was something intimate about being that close to him, naked, and washing themselves of their past. It didn’t feel wrong. Never in Dean’s life had he spent a heat with an alpha as he had Cas. To feel cared for, listened to, important. They were foreign experiences and emotions that Dean had never known he needed in a partner. Prisoners or not, they shared something deep. Whether Cas felt the same way, Dean didn’t know, but he sure as hell was going to try and figure it out for himself. 

Cas kept his eyes cast down and away as Dean mimicked Cas’s tactics for washing by carefully cupping water up to his shoulder to let it trickle down his naked frame. The water was warmer than Dean had expected, but still fairly cold. Goosebumps littered his skin as he forced his way through the shivers and continued to wash himself. He had never been so excited to clean himself in his life. Apparently Duma, the pack caregiver, had been hoarding the soap handed out once a month. Seeing the soap had prompted him to ask how they cleaned themselves and Cas had quietly led him down a faded path and to the creek they’d bathed in over the years. 

He had to give it to Cas. The few domes Dean had been in had nothing on Cas’s. No leadership, no bathing creek, no rationed soap. They had all been every alpha and omega for themself and to see that Cas’s dome had sustained themselves as well as they had for as long as they had, well Dean was impressed. It took a lot just to keep Sam and himself alive, but to see an entire pack? That took skill. It also seemed to take more energy than Cas was capable of giving.

Cas stood up from his crouched position in the water, wrapped his wet cleaned cloth back around his waist, and moved towards the bank to sit down. He hung his head down between his arms perched on his bent knees and sighed deeply. Dean watched as he continued to wash himself, his heart breaking. While he couldn’t scent the alpha from where he was, he knew what the scent would be. Perhaps the alpha just needed something to occupy his mind? Dean could help. At least he hoped he could. 

"Uh, hey Cas?" Dean asked. The alpha huffed, his eyes staying down and away. "I could use some help over here. If you…" he trailed off in hopes the alpha would understand. 

Cas slowly looked up at him and Dean held out his hands still holding the soap and his soiled cloth. He nodded for Cas to come over in hopes the alpha would smile and give in. Cas stared back but never moved. His gaze was tired and broken, eyelids only half open as Dean stood unmoving. 

“If you want to…”

Cas closed his eyes and nodded. "Of course." His tone was low and gruff, the voice of a man slowly losing hope. 

The scent of sadness wafted its way through the aroma of moss and algae that permeated the area as Cas slowly made his way over. It made Dean cringe. The alpha said nothing as he grasped the soap from Dean's hands and gestured for him to turn, never meeting Dean’s gaze. It wasn't exactly what Dean had hoped, but he got the alpha moving and talking. That had to count for something.

A few strips of light shifted through the canopy as the sun set beyond their glass prison. Some birds quited while other critters scurried through the thicket. Neither man uttered a sound as the alpha slowly massaged the soap over the omega's pale skin. Dean relaxed further into the moment, allowing himself to enjoy every soft pass of skin as the soap in Cas’s hands grew smaller and smaller. 

He realized, for the first time since their meeting, neither one of them were being guided by their cycles. Cas hadn’t chosen to join Dean because his alpha instincts told him too, he had to have joined him simply because he wanted to. Or perhaps he felt he needed to since Dean had asked, but Dean didn’t think so. The overwhelming scent of apples Dean had associated with Cas’s rut flaring up hadn’t been present since he stepped foot in Cas’s dome. The moment wasn’t laced with lust, it was laced with trust. 

"Cas?" Dean prompted.

"Hmm?"

Dean closed his eyes as Cas’s hands slowly drifted down his spine and out across his hips. “How have you been doing? You know, post rut and all.”

The alphas hands never stopped pressing and rubbing into Deans exposed skin. “I’m fine.”

Cas avoided his glance as he looked over his shoulder only fueling Dean on. “Humor me?”

Cas sighed, but continued his ministrations. “I’m exhausted, but no more than usual. My thighs are sore too.”

Dean couldn’t help but grin. “You’re welcome.”

Cas chuckled, “I suppose that would be your fault. It’s been years since I ran that fast and that hard.”

“Me too,” Dean chuckled. “My calves are kinda sore now that I think of it.”

Cas touched Dean’s shoulders and prompted him to turn around. Dean allowed himself to be moved and said nothing as Cas started to scrub down his chest and stomach. A smile was making its way across the alphas lips and there was no way in hell Dean was going to stop it from fully forming. 

“You were a runner?” Dean asked softly.

“Yes,” Cas nodded. “I used to run five miles every other morning.”

“What did you do with the other mornings?”

The smile that had been forming fell abruptly as Cas’s hands stopped. Cas’s eyes seemed to glaze over and his scent shifted to grief.

“Cas?” The alpha blinked rapidly and finally met Dean’s gaze. The pain he saw there broke his heart. “I’m sorry.” 

Cas’s gaze drifted over Dean’s shoulder. “It’s alright.”

Without thinking, Dean raised his hand to Cas’s cheek. The alpha blinked slowly before meeting his gaze once again. They stared at each other and Dean realized that, no matter what he tried, it wouldn’t fix Cas's pups being gone. There was no point in giving empty words of hope. He'd just have to do what he did best. Take care of his alpha. 

"Have you eaten at all today?" Dean asked, his thumb rubbing idly across Cas’s cheek. Cas shook his head slowly, no more words being spoken once again.

"Come on, alpha.” Dean pulled his hand away from Cas’s cheek and let it rest over the alpha’s shoulder. “Let's get you fed."

  
  


##  \----<><><><><><><><>\----

The energy in the clearing hit Dean like a tidal wave. Most of the pack seemed to be milling about, many seated in the many picnic tables around and eating silently. A couple pups were running around together, not even their happy energy perking anyone up. Cas led Dean out of the path by the creek and towards the people Dean was tasked with saving.

"So everyone eats together?" Dean asked, watching as pack members stood in line to fill their bowls with what smelled like beef stew. 

Castiel nodded, maneuvering them across the clearing and towards the picnic tables. Half the pack seemed to already have their food and Dean wondered why they weren't headed towards the line themselves. 

"It was Hannah's idea when we first arrived." Cas responded.

A woman turned as they approached. She smiled at Cas in a way that reminded Dean how dire their situation was. "What was my idea?" she asked.

Cas placed a hand on her upper arm as he passed around the table to sit across from her. Dean followed close by, sitting down with him. 

"The pack eating together."

"Oh, yes," she smiled to herself before looking around at everyone eating and milling about. "It's felt a lot like those first days ever since-" she stopped short and eyed Castiel, "but still," she forged on, "everyone sits together. We're all family now and family eats together."

Dean's attention drifted across the way as an alpha helped her omega mate to the dinner line. The omega was clearly crying while the also distressed alpha whispered comfort into her ear. They must have been one of the couples that had lost their pup. The environment around them seemed to shift as they passed. Sad eyes and words of comfort passed to the couple as they made their way through. Castiel stood abruptly and made his way over to them. Dean watched in awe as the alpha strode right up to the omega, placed a hand on her bare shoulder and waited for her tearful nod as he pulled her into a tight embrace. 

Hannah sniffled, pulling Dean’s attention over to her. She turned her head away when Castiel pulled the alpha into an embrace as well. Their eyes met and she gave him a pained grin. 

“That’s Laila and Tiana,” She explained. “Their pup, Max, was taken along with the others.”

Dean swallowed. “How old were they?”

Another tear rolled down Hannah’s cheek, “He was ten.”

Dean’s eyes widened. “He wasn’t even born here?”

She shook her head and turned back to Castiel now speaking softly to the distraught couple. “Neither was Gregory or Elizabeth.”

“How old were they?” Something wasn’t sitting right with him.

“Gregory is eleven and Elizabeth is eight.”

“Are there other children here that were born outside?” Dean asked.

Hannah nodded and sniffed. “Uh, yes. There’s a few others, but they’re hardly children anymore.”

“How old?”

“Um, I think Evan is twelve." She pointed towards the couple of pups running around. "Shaina is also twelve I believe.” Hannah stopped to ponder. “Oh, there’s also Jason. He’s ten.” 

“So why wasn’t he taken?” Dean pondered, not necessarily to Hannah, but she pulled back at his question anyways.

“Why do they do anything? We’re prisoners, Dean.”

“Hannah, it’s okay.” A woman sat down beside her, a hand placed on her shoulder. Dean recognized her as one of the omegas that had been holding Castiel when he first arrived. “Dean might be onto something.”   


“Like what?” Hannah asked, her gaze flitting between the two of them.

The woman held out her hand to shake. Dean took it cautiously, his eyes never leaving hers. “Kelly.”

He squeezed her hand in solitude. “Dean. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Oh?” She questioned, a small smirk barely covering up the redness in her eyes. “All good things I hope?”

“I’m sorry about your son.” Her smile fell as they shook hands. She let go abrupt, her face shifting through multiple expressions before looking away. “Cas told me about you and, Amelia, right?”

Kelly nodded. “She’s Claire’s mother.”

“They may as well be co mothers the way they look after Castiel’s pups,” Hannah offered softly, a hand on Kelly’s arm.

“You’re a family,” Dean said, understanding. Kelly looked up at him and held his gaze. “A wise man once told me, family don’t end in blood. Claire’s just as much your pup as she is Castiel’s and Amelia’s.”

“And Jimmy’s,” Hannah piped up again.

Kelly noticed Dean’s expression and filled him in with “Jimmy is Amelia’s mate.”

“Oh, right. Cas mentioned that.” 

Dean looked around at all the faces and noticed Castiel making his way back to them. He smiled at Kelly as he stood at Dean’s side. Dean looked up to him in greeting but stopped when he heard a small gasp. When he turned back to the two women, Hannah’s eyes were cast down, but Kelly’s were on Cas. She stared hard but didn’t say a word. Cas looked away and cleared his throat.

“The pack has all been fed. Are you hungry, Dean?”

Dean frowned at the different expressions coming off everyone. “Sure, Cas. Where do we go?”

Castiel led him to the firepit where a woman was pouring some of the definitely beef stew into the last three bowls. She was decked out with strange earth made necklaces that draped low over her exposed chest. While her short stature made up for the aggressive alpha scents wafting off her, Dean didn't necessarily feel intimidated by her presence, he felt protected. Safe. 

“Duma," Cas greeted as they approached. She looked up as Cas placed a hand on the small of Dean's back and gently pushed forward. "This is Dean. Dean, Duma.”

Duma smiled wide at him and handed over a bowl of steaming stew. “Welcome, Dean.”

The aroma wafted up and embraced him in a warm hug. “Thank you. It smells amazing.”

She shrugged with a smirk and got to work on making Cas a bowl. “I do what I can with the herbs scattered around the place.”

“You seasoned this?” Dean asked bewildered. 

“Of course I did. It would taste like ass had I not.” Dean chuckled at her brashness. “I do what I can to take care of everyone here. Castiel does so much there’s not much left to do.”

Castiel dipped into a quick bow with a small smile. “Duma, you’re too modest. I’d have died of malnutrition if it wasn’t for you.”

Duma leaned over towards Dean and smirked, a hand blocking her mouth in a stage whisper. “And that was in the first few days.”

Dean laughed. If Duma was cracking jokes during such an emotional time, then it was no wonder Castiel liked her. She clearly kept morale up. “I believe you.” Dean whispered back.

“Hey now. Don’t gossip about me,” Castiel pouted. 

Duma handed Castiel his bowl and huffed a laugh. “It’s not gossiping if it’s true, alpha.” Castiel rolled his eyes. Dean laughed harder. “Now get out of here, you two. Eat and rest. You’ll need it after the week you’ve had.”

A blush crept up Dean’s neck. “Uh, t-thanks.”

Castiel laughed, and turned them back to the picnic table. Dean was about to object when a new person appeared in front of them.

“Castiel?”

The boy that now blocked their path was unmistakably an omega. Not only did he fit all the stereotypical boxes, but wreaked submission. Dean studied the young omega as he moved from foot to foot, hands clasped in front of his sickly thin waist.

“Inias, hello,” Castiel gasped, his arm falling from Dean’s shoulder. 

The action drew Dean’s attention over to the alpha. Cas was suddenly acting very strange, guilt wafting off him in droves.

“I didn’t get the chance to welcome you back,” Inias said, tone soft and reserved. Dean frowned.

“Thank you,” Castiel responded shyly. “That’s very kind of you.”

The energy surrounding their small group started growing tense. Dean had no idea what exactly was going on between the alpha and omega, but it was something that clearly needed to be resolved.

“Of course,” Inias said. He eyed Dean cautiously before saying, “I was afraid I’d never see you again.”

Cas stepped forward and embraced Inias softly. Watching Inias close his eyes as he rested his head on Cas’s shoulders stirred a strange feeling in Dean’s gut. Who was this omega and why had Cas never mentioned him before? 

Inias’s eyes snapped open and landed on Dean. He quickly shuffled out of Cas’s embrace and eyed the fading bruise on the alpha’s neck.

“I’m sorry, I should go back to my table.” The omega took off, glancing over his shoulders a few times before settling down at a picnic table where a group of people awaited him. 

“Who was that?” Dean asked, wary of how Cas hadn't moved since Inias disappeared.

His question pulled Cas out of wherever he was, the alpha jerking in Dean’s direction. “That was Inias.”

Dean waited for the remaining explanation but none came. Cas headed back to the table, leaving Dean to watch him go. He didn’t know why Inias made him feel uneasy, but it was an emotion he was going to be keeping tabs on. 

##  \----<><><><><><><><>\----

Dinner was somber, Cas not saying many words while Kelly and Hannah eyed him. The alpha eventually excused himself and wandered away towards one of the many huts around the clearing. A weight sat heavy in Dean’s gut as he watched him walk away. 

Dean refused to believe he was jealous. He barely knew Cas and vise versa. There was no reason for his hackles to be raised and yet there he was, turned in his seat as the alpha he had grown close to wandered off into a random hut. He needed to know who lived in that hut, and that was why he sat up without a word, and followed.

Or that’s what he had intended to do when a hand grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into Cas’s hut. 

"So, is it real?" 

Dean ripped his arm from Kelly’s grasp and huffed annoyed, "Is what real?"

Another walked into the hut. "You and Castiel," Amelia snarked, her arms crossed. "Did you mate?"

“What?” Dean choked. “No!”

“Then what’s that?” Kelly asked, pointing at Dean’s neck. He lifted his hand self consciously and shook his head. “No. It's - this - fake bite."

"Why?" Amelia demanded.

A strange sense of camaraderie wafted around the hut. On one hand it confused Dean as the two omegas standing in front of him looked like they wanted to skin him alive, while their scents were nothing but familial. 

"Well, uh, it’s complicated." He tried.

"Tell us what's going on, pretty boy,” Amelia commanded. “You seduce our alpha?"

"Your alpha?" Dean balked at Amelia’s scowl. Surely Castiel would have mentioned if he had mated his pups mothers. And wasn’t Amelia mated to a Jacob, or Jason or someone?

"You do know he's the father of both our pups, right?" Amelia stepped closer.

"Well yea, but-"

"And we had to sacrifice more than you can ever imagine to keep our pups, him, and ourselves safe, right?" She pushed.

"I...well-" Dean was at a loss for words.

"And then what?” Amelia forged through Dean’s fumbling. “He spends a rut with you and all of a sudden he's fake mating the first omega that smells like rainbows and unicorns?"

Dean’s eyes widened. "Now hold on a-"

"And how can we trust you?” Kelly stated, stepping back up next to Amelia. “You're a stranger."

Dean huffed in annoyance. "Are you gonna let me speak?"

"Mother's?" Everyone turned to see Hannah standing outside the hut, her hands on her hips.

"Hannah, hello," Amelia greeted. Dean frowned at the abrupt shift in mood.

"Why are you picking on the new guy?" She asked innocently from the doorway. 

"He's not just the new guy, Hannah.” Amelia stated. “He's Castiel's mate."

Dean stepped forward at that. "Well no, not rea-"

"Everyone knows that mothers,” Hannah spoke over Dean’s protests. “You can smell his scent interwoven with Castiel's."

"You can what, now?" Dean was starting to feel dizzy.

"That doesn't explain why he reeks of fear and embarrassment."

Dean shifted his feet and gave a nervous laugh, looking around the room as if to find the answer to the situation he had now found himself in. He mumbled to himself, "What is happening?"

"Okay fine,” Amelia surrendered to Hannah. “You caught us. Gotta look out for our puppy daddy is all.” She side eyed Dean. “He deserves more than just a rut mut."

"Wow,” Dean stared wide eyed at the trio of omega’s. Every second spent with them was making Dean regret having ever stepped foot into Castiel’s pack. “Tell me how you really feel."

Kelly rounded on Dean. He stepped back and threw his hands up defensively. "Then tell us, what are your intentions with our alpha?"

Dean opened his mouth to respond but no sound came out. He looked nervously at Hannah who was no help at all.

"Go on," said Hannah, siding with the exes from Hell.

"Well - I- umm-"

"What do we have here?" 

Everyone turned to see Castiel standing in the entryway.

“Oh thank GOD,” Dean sighed in relief. 

"Oh, nothing." Amelia singsonged, a smile on her face. 

"Uh-huh.” Castiel crossed his arms and smirked. “So I'm not smelling mischief from you three and terror from my mate."

"Ha!” Amelia rounded back on Dean, a finger pointed into his face. “He is your mate!"

"Why would you lie?" Kelly asked Dean softly. 

Castiel looked towards Dean and frowned. "You said I wasn't your mate?" Dean stood frozen in the hut, mind having short-circuited. 

"I figured,” Cas continued, ‘it would have been easier to move forward if everyone believed we had actually mated." 

"Wait, what?" Amelia finally looked confused. Dean tried to ignore her.

Castiel stepped further into the hut. "Dean, is this part of your plan?"

"What plan?” Kelly asked. “What is going on?"

Dean sighed and shifted on his feet nervously. He never had been good with large groups of people. "We never talked about what would happen with your pack. I figured we'd tell the truth, but I guess we don't have a choice now."

"Fair point.” Castiel easily agreed. “Well, Kelly is my most trusted. She's very strategic, and Amelia can keep everyone at ease.” Dean gave a derisive snort. “Hannah is, without a doubt, the most intuitive and can help us navigate any issues we haven't thought of already."

"Castiel?" Kelly prompted the silent question.

Castiel looked towards Dean. "Dean?"

Dean shrugged in defeat. With an arm waved out, he sighed, "If you wanna tell ‘em now, go for it."

The three omegas turned to face Castiel head on. "Mother's, Hannah. We have a plan."

##  \----<><><><><><><><>\----

"Okay, let me get this straight-”

Dean sat on the floor and watched as the three omega’s attempted to take in all Cas and him had dumped on them. He felt much more confident now that Cas was with him, but also nervous as apparently their scents had mingled and he was now scent bonded to the alpha. Did Cas know this? Was he the only one who didn't know? How hadn’t he known? Wasn’t scent bonding something you were incredibly aware of when it happened? That’s what all the fairytale books and rom coms always alluded to at least. 

He started at the feeling of Cas resting his hand on his knee and squeezing. Dean avoided looking towards him and tried to focus back on the conversation.

“A guard is one of us,” Amelia continued, “and they told you to fake mate with him so that you could get us out of here. And some rescue team is going to help us out?"

Dean nodded. "Basically, yeah."

"Castiel?" Kelly prompted again.

"It's real, Kelly,” he said, knee pressed up against Dean’s as they sat together. “I promise."

"We've been here for two years, alpha,” Kelly stated firmly. “Not once have we stirred the pot. You told us yourself it would be too dangerous with us being weaponless."

"I know."

"And now, you spend a rut away from us, and you're ready to risk our entire pack? Claire? Jack-"

"Mother,” Castiel interrupted, “I love our pups more than life itself. I would never put them in danger if I weren't confident this would work."

Kelly shook her head. "How can you be confident in a plan like this?"

Cas squeezed Dean’s knee again. "Because I’m confident in Dean and Dean trusts his brother with his life.”

Kelly turned away as Amelia shook her head. "You are the alpha to my pup, Castiel. If anything happens to her…"

"I won't let anything happen,” Cas promised, “I swear on my life."

Kelly turned back around and stared at them. Her eyes were hard in the dimly lit hut, but conveyed what Dean knew was coming next. "I trust you."

It was Castiel’s turn to start. "You do?" He asked, head tilted to the left in a way that Dean tried not to think was adorable.

"When they first tried to take Jack,” she started, “you held them off yourself. Ever since, I've been convinced they would have taken him from me. Now Jack is really gone and I can sense your pain. Your grief. You love him."

"Of course I love him,” Cas’s voice cracked in pain. Dean’s heart broke. “He's still my son. My pup."

“You’re a newcomer,” she said to Dean, eyes pleading. “How am I supposed to trust you with my pup’s life?”

That was the million dollar question. If he was honest with himself, he would tell her she couldn’t. That he had multiple failed escape attempts under his belt and escaping was a hopeless endeavor, but that’s not what he says to the grieving mother.

“Because trusting me is the only choice you have,” He tells her. “The more you trust me, the better the chances we all get out of here alive.”

Kelly closed her eyes while Cas squeezed his knee once more. For the first time since arriving, the reality of the situation came crashing down around Dean. All three of the people in the hut with him could die if things went wrong. Real actual living people could die because of him if he didn’t do things just right.  “Then I trust you.” Without waiting for a response, Kelly turned and walked out of the hut. Dean watched Amelia quietly follow after, the only thoughts in Dean’s mind being,  _ You shouldn’t _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a huge fan of the actual interrogation scene, but I've been staring at it for months and decided to just leave it and let it go.
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments or visit me on tumblr and shoot me a message! [@Zeeimpalaangel](http://zeeimpalaangel.tumblr.com/)


	3. Day One: Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T-minus 2.5 days till escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get out! Dean and Cas keep trying to take the story in a different direction and I have to keep pulling them back.

Petrichor. Pine Trees. Ocean.

Dean awoke slowly, the scent of Cas a warm blanket washing over him. He pulled the alpha closer to him to nuzzle his nose against Cas’s back and smiled to himself as he inhaled deeply. Apples. Sweat. The same scents that alerted Dean to the alpha’s rut spiking, only much weaker. There was no longer an underlining want and need clouding Dean’s senses. For the first time since they’d met, Dean didn’t feel obligated to answer the burning desires Cas’s scent had awoken in him. Of course he understood it was all chemical and on a normal day -- as the one he was waking to -- he wouldn’t jump an alpha while in heat, but his heat was over.

_ You can smell his scent interwoven with Castiel’s _

Hannah’s voice echoed in his mind once more. What had she meant? Surely she hadn’t been implying what he thought, had she? It wasn’t unheard of for couples to scent bond, but from what he’d heard growing up and over the years, scent bonding took years. He’d only been around Cas for a week. Could they have really scent bonded that quickly? And how? Dean found himself wishing he had paid closer attention in health class. He knew that what the two of them had gone through was intense. No two people -- alpha or omega -- could go through what they had and not come out bonded in some way, shape, or form. But, to be bonded in a way he had no choice in, it terrified Dean. What would it mean for them later? Paying attention in class or not, he remembered the warning. Breaking a bond of any kind, especially a scent bond, was rough and mostly painful. Alphas and omegas had been known to die if the break was severe enough, he knew from experience. His own father had never been the same after their mother died, drinking himself into oblivion. And the crying when he thought Dean was asleep? The memories were seared into Dean’s brain for life. After seeing what could happen to someone after losing a mate, he'd promised himself he'd never mate anyone. The fall out just didn't seem worth it. A discussion would need to happen before they escaped. 

The alpha in question was still asleep, deeply if his soft snores were anything to go by, and Dean wasn’t about to try and wake him. Once Kelly and Amelia had left, the night had become awkward. Dean hadn’t been sure if they should have shared the same bed or not, but Cas reminded him that everyone believed them to be mated. He would have continued to argue, but the alpha had simply lied down and started to go to sleep. All the fears Dean had about the alpha wanting to continue to mate lessened, but he was still sharing a bed willingly. Something mates did.

Truthfully, Dean never wanted to spend his heat with Cas at all. As painful as it could be, he always tried to deal with his heats alone. It wasn't the first time he'd spent his heat with an alpha, but it certainly was the first time he'd felt obligated to do so. What luck that he'd been forced onto Cas and not some misogynistic knothead. Almost every alpha he had ever encountered was selfish, self absorbed, and almost always angry. When they first met, Cas had seemed to have all of those qualities, but after that first dinner, Dean realized the alpha was going to make him question everything he ever knew about alphas. Never in his life had he ever heard of an alpha forcing themselves to stay clear of an omega in heat, especially a willing one. Seeing Cas hunched over on himself, whimpering and rocking back and forth, it almost broke his heart. 

Dean shifted on the bed, gasping when his muscles flexed and pulled at the hickey over his scent gland. They'd almost mated. He couldn't deny that he was drawn to Cas, captivated by his incredibly blue eyes and enticing scent, but enough to mate? Highly doubtful. Once again, Dean didn't do "mates". His gasp must have woken Cas as the alpha started to turn over in the bed. To Dean's surprise, he kept his eyes closed, settling back down with a deep sigh. Dean couldn't help the way his heart fluttered at the sight. The big bad alpha with a bright red crease across his cheek and hair rumpled everywhere. Cuddling up and burying his nose into the mess crossed Dean's mind briefly before deciding he needed to create some space between them. With a last lingering look, Dean slowly peeled himself off the bed and tiptoed his way towards the door.

Cas's hut sat closest to the main door, the rest creating a half circle around the fire pit. He had the smallest hut, but as the packs leader, Dean figured the alpha wanted to be closer in order to protect his pack better. People were milling about in the sun soaked clearing, a decent sized group sitting at the picnic tables. Dean recognized Kelly sitting alone underneath a short tree, the shade creating a small blip in the light around her. Her head was in her hands, body tense. Of all the people Dean had met, Kelly stood out the most. He envied her In a sad sort of way. While she was in the most vulnerable state an omega could be in with her pup being taken, she seemed to be holding it together. An omega capable of staying calm in her situation was unheard of. The pain and grief she had to be feeling and yet there she was, surviving and slowly eating breakfast alone.

He wandered up awkwardly, offering a friendly smile. She looked up, but her returned grin made him pause. There was pain hidden behind her friendliness, but something else as well. Like she knew something he didn’t. 

“Good morning, Dean," she greeted, setting her bundle of grapes down. "Castiel still asleep?”

"Morning.” Dean glanced behind himself and responded, “Yea, like a rock.”

She chuckled, “He always does after a rut. He slept for an entire day after we conceived Jack.”

Talking about sleeping with Cas was not something he wanted to do before breakfast. Or ever for that matter. “Yea. I was just gonna try and get some breakfast.” He looked back towards the small group bustling around the picnic table. “How do you guys ration out the food?”

Kelly stood and nodded for him to follow her towards the crates. “We usually divide the food up by person, but with you here we had to get a little creative.” She met his gaze. “Don’t worry, Amelia and I handled everything last night after our talk.” 

Dean gave a half smile. “Sorry about that.”

She waved her hand in dismissal, “Don’t worry about it. You weren’t the first and you won’t be the last.”

“Kelly,” a man waved to them from across the clearing as they approached the table. From his scent alone, Dean knew he was an alpha. “Have you seen my mate?”

Kelly smiled softly, “Good morning, Jimmy. She went to see Lilly.”

“Thanks, Kelly," Jimmy huffed as he approached them. He grasped Kelly’s shoulder and squeezed. "You’re the best.” He looked towards Dean with a small smile. “Good morning, Dean. Castiel still asleep?”

Dean suppressed an eyeroll, “Yea, like the dead.”

Jimmy hummed, “He always does.”

Everyone seemed to know what Cas was like after a rut and it was making him uncomfortable. And why was everyone so open about it as well? “So I’ve heard.”

Jimmy hummed once again before nodding and stepping away. “Well, enjoy your breakfast.” Then just like that, he was gone. 

Kelly chuckled beside Dean and placed a hand on his back to push him forward. “That’s Jimmy for you,” She said. “Usually nothing could sour that man's mood, but-"

Dean immediately understood her pause. "The pups."

Kelly turned a wistful eye ahead of them as she guided them across the clearing. "Ever since she was born, he was never far from Claire."

"What happened?” Dean felt the way she retracted from the question and internally cursed himself. “Sorry, you don’t have to tell me-

"It’s fine,” she waved him off. “Jimmy fought the guards when they came. He didn't even think, just jumped into action and fought to get to Claire. He almost got her, too. Then-"

Dean stepped around as a couple pups chased each other around a passing picnic table. "Let me guess. Taser?"

Kelly nodded. "They wouldn't let up. I thought for sure-"

"Hey,” Dean placed a hand on Kelly’s shoulder and squeezed, “It's alright. He's alright."

Kelly frowned at him. "Nothing's alright, Dean. My pup is gone. Gone! They just took him. And I couldn't do anything. And now-"

Dean pulled Kelly into a tight embrace to stop her raising shouts. He couldn't imagine what she was going through. To lose your own pup-

"I’m sorry.” Kelly pulled away from Dean and stepped back. She turned her head away, but Dean still caught the glimmer of morning light reflecting off the tear making its way down her cheek. “You were hungry. Let me get you some food and show you around.”

Dean shook his head, “Kelly, you don’t-”

“Come on.” She left no room for complaint, taking off before Dean could say more.

Kelly led him to the row of crates at the edge of the clearing and stopped at one in the middle. It wasn’t packed, but it had some of everything. Bottles of water, fruit, veggies, even some granola bars. Dean took it all in before picking up an apple and sniffed. A memory of that morning washed through him. Cas fast asleep, smelling devine. His alpha. 

No. Not his alpha.  _ An _ alpha. That was all Castiel was. An alpha that helped him through his heat and needed his help to get his pups back. 

Dean glanced at Kelly and saw her staring at him with the same strange grin she had given him earlier. He cleared his throat and set the apple back down on the crate taking a pear instead. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. We usually stick to fruit until it’s gone. Then Duma will cook up the eggs and sausage they allow us for the rest of the week. Helps keep food waste down.”

Dean was impressed. “That’s smart.”

“What’s smart?” They both turned to see a bleary eyed Cas wandering up, hands rubbing his face. Notes of honey crisp apples and fall wafted around Dean making him smile. The alpha smelt way too good for his own sake. 

Cas brushed up to him and placed a hand at the small of his back. Dean followed Cas’s movement as the sleepy alpha bent down to grab an apple. He stayed transfixed as the alpha bit down and hummed around the flavor. Some juice dripped down the corner of his mouth and Dean swallowed around nothing as he watched. The alpha chewed and swallowed, his eyes closed in sleepy bliss unaware of the crisis he was sending Dean into. After a moment, Cas opened his eyes and looked to Dean with a growing smile.

“What?” Dean asked, barely over a whisper as Cas made figure eights against his skin. 

“Kelly asked you a question, Dean,” he chuckled.

Shit. Dean looked to Kelly and saw her unamused glare staring back at him. “Sorry.”

“What I asked was, there’s an omega meeting happening later today. Would you be interested in joining us?”

“An omega meeting?” Dean asked, perplexed.

“Yes. They’ve been having them ever since we got here,” Castiel added. “It was a nice way to make sure everyone was doing okay with their mates.”

“It was Castiel’s idea,” Kelly stated with pride. “He’s always done his best to make sure no omega felt pressured into mating or was being taken advantage of.”

Dean looked back at Cas, but saw something different. He knew the alpha was a good man, but the more he spoke with his pack, the more he was beginning to realize Cas was more than he realized. And an alpha conscious of the treatment of the omegas in his care? Ancient alpha elitists were rolling in their graves

“Sure,” Dean finally answered. Cas stopped making figure eights and simply rubbed his thumb along Dean’s spine. He did everything he could not to lean into the comfort.

It wouldn’t hurt to meet the rest of the omegas in the pack. Plus, Dean was going to need a small team to help navigate the inevitable chaos of escaping and rescuing pups. 

“Great. I’ll let Amelia know and we’ll come and get you when it’s time.” Kelly placed a hand on his arm and squeezed before wandering away back to her forgotten grapes.

The distinct sound of teeth tearing into an apple pulled Dean’s attention back to the alpha. He was staring after Amelia, a soft expression present as the fruit was masticated and absorbed. Dean stared for a moment before rolling his eyes, pulling away from the hand still at his back, and sitting down at the closest picnic bench. He wasn’t surprised to see that Cas had followed, in fact a small part of him felt content, even giddy. Although that feeling did waver slightly as the alpha sat down next to him, their thighs pressed up tight.

“Um,” Dean coughed self consciously, “you ever hear of personal space?”

Cas leaned forward to rest his arms on the table and slid his hips away. Of course their knees were still pressed together, but Dean didn’t have it in him to keep complaining.

“Of course.” Cas took another bite of his apple and hummed. Dean swallowed hard. “How did you sleep, Dean?”

He took a bite of his pear and shrugged, “not as well as the past week, but better than nothing at all.”

Cas smirked, “perhaps you need to be worn out before bed then.”

He almost choked on his pear. “What?”

Dean watched Cas’s face change colors. His scent shifted to a rancid pulpy smell. Like he was swimming in rotting apples. The alpha sat up straighter and stared Dean head on. “I didn’t mean that we - that you - I meant - I meant running.”

“Oh,” Dean cleared his throat.

“My apologies.” Cas shifted his knee away. “I didn’t mean to make things awkward.”

Dean sighed, some of the tension releasing from his shoulders as Cas’s scent grew stronger. At least he now knew what Cas’s anxious scent smelled like, he only wished the alpha hadn’t shifted away. It wasn’t that Dean was opposed to sleeping with Cas again, in fact if he didn’t think about it too hard, he was definitely on board. Only, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Did Cas really want to do that? Was he okay with their scent bond? And if he was, would it be just for fun, or did he want something more? And did Dean want fun? Or something more? 

They definitely needed to talk at some point. 

“How about this,” Dean tried to bring the conversation back around before he lost his mind at all the what if’s. “Why don’t you tell me a little bit about your dome so we can build an escape plan?”

Cas sighed and nodded, “I suppose that’s a good idea.”

Dean took a last bite of his pear and glanced around the clearing. He knew that the path ahead of them led to the creek, but the ones to the left and right of the clearing he wasn’t so sure.

“Where does that path lead?” Dean asked, pointing to the right.

Cas looked to where he pointed and nodded. “That leads to the small wooded area. It loops around and meets up with that one,” Cas pointed to the path ahead of them, “that goes to the creek.”

“And that one?” Dean pointed to the left.

“Same thing.”

“And in all this time have you or anyone else even come close to finding a way out of here?” Dean asked.

Cas sat up straight and smiled. “Actually, now that I think of it, yes.”

“Seriously?” Some hope was creeping in.

Cas stood up, his hand outstretched. “Come on. I think I know who can help us.”

##  \----<><><><><><><><>\----

Duma’s hut was built just as the others, only the area around hers was far from similar. Large boxes that resembled those their food was brought in sat on either side of the steps to the hut. As they neared, Dean could see each one filled with the empty remains of water bottles. Castiel seemed unbothered by the whole thing and continued up the couple steps towards the front door. 

Inside was equally not what Dean expected and exactly what he expected. The scent of flowers and herbs permeated his senses as they stepped inside. The hut was similar in size to the hut he shared with Cas, but it was far from empty as theirs had been. Along the far wall were more piles of empty plastic water bottles. Some were filled with strange colored substances, others seemed they were unopened and still contained just water. The pile continued along the left wall, only instead of water bottles, the wall was lined with small and large clay bowls. The piles led right to a small cot that Duma herself was sitting on. She seemed to be washing a cloth in the large pot that sat in front of her, boiling from the small fire going underneath it. With the steam rolling off, Dean realized he had found the source of the scent that was all over the small space.

“Right on time,” Duma greeted with a smile. 

“They gave you a pot?” Dean asked, ignoring her cryptic greeting and eyeing all the bowls along the floor.

Duma snorted, “Of course not,” as she continued to wash the cloth. She met both their gazes before adding, “here to talk about the scent bond?” 

“No. We hoped to speak with you about the perimeter.” Cas spoke, nodding in his own greeting back. 

Dean stood frozen in his place. While Cas was right, Dean couldn’t help but want to address that great big elephant in the room. Especially as it seemed Cas was well aware of the fact that they were bonded. He could have filled Dean in at any time. 

“What about it?” She asked.

Cas turned to Dean and gestured for him to ask his questions three. Clenching his jaw, Dean nodded and stepped forward. “Cas says you know about every square inch of this place. You wouldn’t happen to know about any ventilation shafts would you?”

Duma pulled the cloth out of the water and started ringing it out. A large array of scents immediately filled the air around them. Memories of holding his baby brother for the first time and cuddling with his mother on the couch took over his mind and only intensified the longer he stood there. He found himself wanting to wander closer but barely managed to stop himself. 

“Smell something you like, omega?” Duma chuckled.

Dean blinked, “What?”

“Do you sell something, Dean?” Castiel asked, a hunt of concern pushing its way through the aroma surrounding them.

“You can’t smell that?” Dean asked perplexed. Cas shook his head in response.

“I was making this for Lilly,” Duma said, standing, “ but you can have this one if you like.”   


“What is it? It smells amazing.” Cas chuckled next to him but Dean ignored it. 

“It’s a special mixture of herbs I created meant to ease the hormones of an omega.”

Dean squinted, “But, I’m not in heat anymore.”

“Not exactly, no. Omega hormone levels are still heightened up to thirty-six hours post heat. It’s been what, twenty four? Thirty? Since your last heat wave?”

Dean shrugged, “Something like that.”

Duma stepped up to him, just inches away. He paused unsure of her intentions, but relaxed as she took the damp cloth and wrapped it around his neck. “The herbal scents are strong and calming,” She told him, her voice soft as she worked. “They say it’s similar to the scent of a newborn pup and is known to ease the heightened senses of pregnant omegas and omegas in heat.” She tied the cloth off at his chest and stepped back.

Dean lowered his nose as she stepped away and inhaled. Up close the scent was even more alluring. He could feel the muscles in his arms and legs loosen and his shoulders sag. It reminded him of soothing words over scraped knees.

“Thanks,” he slurred out.

Castiel laughed, but Dean ignored him. He was in bliss and more relaxed than he’d been in a long time. He couldn’t help but wonder if they had this stuff available in the real world. He’d buy a hundred for his next heat if he could. 

"So, ventilation shafts, huh?” Duma said bringing Dean back to why they were there. “Why do you wanna know?"

Dean took a calming breath and attempted to bring himself fully into the moment. “We have a plan to get everyone out of here.”

Duma stood still, her eyes locked on Dean’s. She seemed equally shocked and cautious. “Who is ‘we’?”

Cas stepped up. “Dean and I.”

“There are plans in motion to get everyone out, but I need to find a safe way to get everyone in this pack out of the dome.” Dean added for context. 

“And a ventilation shaft is going to get us all out of here?” She asked, sceptical. 

Dean nodded. “I’ve attempted to escape a few times since they captured me. Obviously I always failed, but the furthest I ever got was through a ventilation shaft.”

Duma sighed and finally looked away. Her posture certainly wasn’t positive. “You know my rules, Castiel. I will not put any one of them in danger.”

“I do know them, and well,” Cas stated sharply. “I’ve followed those same rules ever since we got here and would never put my pack at risk if I didn’t have faith.”

“You were only gone for a week, alpha,” Duma argued. “What could you have possibly learned in those days?”

Dean’s eyes widened as Cas’s shoulder pulled back in a defensive display of alpha pride. “Quite a lot, actually.”

Duma returned his defensive stance with one of her own. If Dean hadn’t been mellowed out by the sweet smelling cloth around his neck, he would bet money on the room being filled with alpha pheromones. 

“First you scent bond with a random omega and now you want to risk the lives of everyone you’ve known the past two years?”

Dean took a moment to feel slightly offended.

“It wasn’t like that,” Cas bit. “Dean is an incredibly reliable omega. I trust him with the life of my pups.” Dean’s heart stopped as Duma’s eyebrows shot up. 

Cas trusted him with the life of his pups? That was a lot to put on a guy, and yet Dean found himself unafraid. He would never risk the life of a pup, especially not Cas’s. And it had nothing to do with the scent bond. He would protect Cas’s pups on principle alone.

Duma sat down with a loud plop. “I don’t know, alpha,” she stated.

Dean watched carefully as Cas made his way over to Duma and kneeled down in front of her. “Please, Duma,” Cas begged. “I know it sounds crazy, but I promise, this can work.” Cas placed a hand over hers and Dean watched as Duma crumbled. “You can see Hester again. Take those trips to the pacific northwest you always wanted to.”

Duma looked up again and sobbed a quiet, “Balthazaar.” Cas squeezed Duma’s hand and nodded. Dean’s heart broke all over again.

“It’s over, Duma,” Cas whispered to her. “We’re getting out. We just have to know where the shaft starts.”

Dean sighed in relief as Duma nodded. “Okay. Alright. For lost loves.”

Cas gave a wet chuckle. “For lost loves.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonder if Dean will be able to get Cas to talk about the scent bond? Or will he put it off?
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments or visit me on tumblr and shoot me a message! [@Zeeimpalaangel](http://zeeimpalaangel.tumblr.com/)


	4. Day One: Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean does some internal digging and attends the omega meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, so I've fallen a bit behind on these chapters by a few days. The story was initially meant to go a slightly different way, but Dean can be very argumentative with his own story lines and, unfortunately, quite persuasive. The next chapter is no where near done and I plan on working hard all week to get it posted on time, but don't be disappointed or surprised if it ends up being a little late again. Sorry. But I promise to make it up to you! The rest of Part 2 is planned out so I do have a path and goal in sight!
> 
> I wanna say THANK YOU SO MUCH for every ones support in this! This is the longest fic I've ever worked on and your constant support has been my fuel for my motivation. You're angels!
> 
> Enjoy!

The afternoon sun sat high above the dome as Dean followed Castiel down the west side path. There weren’t as many trees for cover on the west side allowing the sun to beat down on their exposed skin as they walked. Dean would have contemplated the chances of a sunburn had his mind not already been bombarded with thoughts about the speed walking alpha ahead of him.

Scent bonded. Duma had been expecting them to speak to her about it, but they hadn’t and Dean really wished they had. He needed to know what it all meant. How much would it hurt when they parted ways? How strong was the bond? How did it happen? When did it happen? 

Dean thought about every moment they spent together, dissecting every touch and moan and gasp. It had to have been during the heat of the moment. It’s what made the most sense. It couldn’t have been that first night, Dean had barely known Cas at that moment. Plus, he had been contemplating running off to a random corner of the dome just before he had scented Cas in the clearing. His scent had been so incredibly strong that Dean had known his rut had hit full force. He couldn’t just leave the alpha alone like that. 

The alpha pheromones that had enveloped the entire hut barely registered in Dean’s senses when found the alpha rocking back and forth whimpering. It wasn’t his heat that carried him to the broken alpha, it was himself. Dean knew that. He remembered that. The alpha needed help and damn him if he was going to let someone suffer just because he didn’t want to get close to someone. 

Dean thought about those nights in haze. He didn’t remember much, but he did remember feeling safe. He remembered whispered words and soft touches. He remembered feeling-

“I think we’re almost there.”

Cas’s words broke through their silence and pulled Dean from his spiraling thoughts.

He cleared his throat to rejoin their shared space. “She said it was along the glass and metal border right?” Dean asked, avoiding Cas’s eyes as he began scanning the wall as it appeared before them. The alpha huffed an affirmative as Dean moved past him.

The border wall was massive. It rose above them what Dean guesstimated was around fifty feet high. The first twenty feet or so was pure metal before glass took over and reached up and over them to the other side. A distant humming meant the wind turbines were just a ways down the path, most of them around the creek and east side of the dome. If he paid enough attention, he could almost feel the soft breeze brushing along the hairs on his arms. 

Just as in Dean’s old dome, there was a protrusion where the glass met metal. Vegetation blocked the base of the wall and Dean moved forward to start pulling the bushes and weeds.

“Did you find it?” Cas asked behind him.

Dean grunted as he gripped the base of one of the bushes and pulled. “I think so.” 

Cas quickly joined him and wrapped his own hands between Dean’s for a better grip. Together they pulled and pulled until the roots finally sprang free and they both toppled backwards into the dirt. Dean groaned as he gathered himself and looked to see if they had made any progress. 

There it was. 

A square entrance covered by a heavy duty grate. They had done a pretty shitty job covering it up which worked for Dean - and everyone else's - favour. 

“Is that it?” Cas asked, gathering himself and sitting up to stare.

“Yes sir,” Dean confirmed with a smile. He crawled forward and ran his fingers along the border. There were three screws on each side, not including the ones in the corners. “It’s gonna be a bitch to get these screws out, but I can get this opened.”

“What do you need?”

Dean sat back and looked at Cas. The alpha had a serious expression on his face, a drastic change from earlier. Dean wondered what put that face there.

“Well a flat head would be nice, but anything that will fit would be fine.”

Cas nodded and looked away to Dean’s chest. Dean watched as the alpha tilted his head before reaching out to touch the cloth hanging around Dean’s neck. He’d almost forgotten he was wearing it.

“Does it really smell like something?” Cas asked softly, his fingers toying with the knot resting between Dean’s pecks.

“Yea, it does,” he answered. “You can’t smell it at all?”

Cas shook his head, “No. I mean I can smell your contentment, but not a distinct scent from the cloth itself.”

“Weird.” Cas hummed in agreement. 

His fingers played along the edge of the cloth between thumb and pointer finger while slowly making his way up Dean’s chest. Dean did his best not to breathe deep enough to create contact between them and ignored the voice in his head begging for it.

“Duma has been handing these out since we first arrived,” Cas’s started softly, “but I've never been curious before. You smell different with it on.” Cas’s hands continued their trek up towards Dean’s neck, his gaze almost distant as he studied his own movements. His hand eventually rested against Dean’s left collar bone sending a shiver down the omegas left side. 

“Different how?” Dean breathed, surprised by his own reaction yet unwilling to stop whatever Cas was about to do. He needed to be touched. 

Dean gasped as realization hit him like a slap to the face. The closeness they had shared. The trust they had built. It hadn’t been just a singular moment that had created their bond, it had been a series of events. The compassion built when he found Cas whimpering alone in the hut. The trust gained when Cas continued to keep his promise of no knotting. The affection when he sang for Cas, something he wouldn’t even do for his brother. All of those moments led to their bond forming. And it had to be mutual. Something like that couldn’t be forced by only one person, could it? Cas had to have felt something as Dean did. It only made sense.

Dean placed his hand over Cas’s and watched as the alpha slowly came back from wherever he had been. Aquamarine slowly made their way up to emerald and stopped. Dean’s heart raced in his chest. Had the alpha realized what he had?

Cas blinked rapidly and jerked his hand back. “I’m sorry.”   


Dean released the breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. The alpha looked away from him. “Cas?”

Cas slowly stood up and brushed dirt and dead leaves from his thighs. “We should get back. It’ll be lunch time soon.”

Dean ignored the pain growing in his chest as he watched the apha walk away. Perhaps he was wrong and their bond was one sided. He contemplated how to apologize for the pain he would cause him once their bond began the breaking process.

##  \----<><><><><><><><>\----

Cas didn’t speak much after their moment at the ventilation shaft. Of course, Dean hadn’t exactly been a chatty cathy either, but a part of him still blamed their bond for that. The only time they did talk was when they were discussing how to get the screws out and what to do once they did. After that, Cas had grown tired and laid down, basically passing out as soon as his head hit the mattress. That had been when the sun was still high, since the sun was set, Dean wondered if Cas would still be asleep when he got back.

There were more omegas in Castiel’s pack than Dean had realized. They were all gathered around the fire, talking and chatting amongst themselves. Dean found it strange to see everyone in good spirits. He knew they were all aware of where they were and what they were dealing with on a daily basis. How could they be happy? Deciding he really did want to know more about the pack, Dean stepped off the hut’s front steps and headed towards the growing group.

He spotted Kelly and Amelia standing with another omega he hadn’t met before and headed their way. The omega was very pregnant, her stomach practically ready to pop. She was smiling at the other two as they helped her to slowly sit down on one of the trunks laid around the fire. Dean wondered how in the hell he was supposed to help them all escape when one of them was incredibly pregnant. What if she went into labor during their escape? What if she did before? It was all so risky, but it was Sam's plan. Sam had to know what he was doing. He wouldn’t willingly put them all at risk, Dean was sure of that.

Dean smiled as he approached the three omega’s. “Hello, ladies.”

Amelia looked his way and smiled. “Dean! Hi! Lilly, this is Dean, Castiel’s mate.”

Dean blushed, “We’re not mates.”

Kelly huffed playfully, “Denial.” She glanced down at the cloth still hanging around Dean’s neck and smiled. “I see you visited with Duma.”

Dean placed a hand over the knot at his chest and nodded, “This stuff smells amazing.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lilly added with a giggle, her own hand covering the knot at her chest. “Hello, Dean.” She greeted, holding out a hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Finally?” Dean accepted the shake. 

“Well, I’ve heard a lot about you since you arrived. You’re a popular omega, Dean.”

Dean swallowed a grimace and plastered on his charming grin to throw a wink her way. “Well I hope it’s good and not bad.”

Kelly pat his shoulder. “All good things, Dean. I promise.” The other two giggled which only made him confused. “Now, come with me, there’s some people I want you to meet.”

Dean allowed himself to be escorted around the fire, being introduced to some of the omega’s who had shown up early like the rest of them. A part of him wished Cas had joined, but he knew that he wasn’t allowed. It was an omega’s only meeting, of course. Plus, the alpha was passed out so either way he would have been on his own.

After saying hello to Hannah and a few others, Kelly turned towards a boy making his way over. “Inias, hello!” Kelly greeted. “So happy you decided to join us this time!” 

Inias, gave a small smile and met Dean’s eyes for a fraction of a second before deliberately looking away. Dean frowned at the bitter scent wafting his way. He recognized the boy from the day before. With Cas and his conflicting scents absent this time around, Dean took a better look at the boy. He seemed young, but the closer he got Dean noticed the ghost of a five o clock shadow building up. And it worked well with the look he had going on; long thin dark hair, slim frame, a couple abs peeking out of his core. The boy may have been smaller than Dean, but he seemed strong enough to take care of himself if the need arose.

“Figured I should meet the famous omega Castiel brought home,” Inias said softly, but Dean didn't miss the condescending tone. From the looks of the group, Inias was the only other male omega in the pack. “Especially if he’s meant to save us, or whatever.” 

Inias met his eyes in an intense game of wits and Dean’s veins ran cold. Had Inias and Castiel been close before they met? There was definitely a history there. Regardless, it was safer to make friends than start a rivalry with a boy Castiel had never even mentioned before.

Dean locked onto the gaze and held out his hand. “I’m Dean. Nice to meet you.”

Inias looked at his hand and raised a brow. The silence extended long enough for Dean to grit his teeth in annoyed embarrassment while his hand stayed outstretched between them. 

“I’m gonna go check on Lilly,” he said before turning and completely ignoring Dean and his hand. Kelly looked at him while he closed his fist he shrugged. 

“Well that went well,” He huffed.

“Don’t worry about him,” Kelly stated. “He’s upset, but he’ll get over it.”

“Let me guess,” Dean swallowed some of his frustration, “he was the captains favorite before I came along?”

Kelly shifted uncomfortably, “It’s complicated.”

Of course it was. Exe’s always were. “Uh huh.”

“Just-” Kelly sighed, “-ask Castiel about it before you go jumping to conclusions.”

“What do you mean?” He asked innocently.

Kelly rolled her eyes. “I can smell the jealousy all over you, omega. Cool it.”

Dean snorted at Kelly’s turned back and trudged along after her. He wasn’t jealous, just annoyed. There was a difference. A very big difference.

  
  


##  \----<><><><><><><><>\----

“Okay everyone, gather around please. Let’s get this meeting underway.” Everyone gathered around Hannah as she stood in front of the fire and took their seats. Dean stuck with Kelly and Amelia, sitting off to Hannah’s right.

“First things first, as you all may know, we have a new pack member with us now, Dean.” Hannah pointed towards him and he gave an awkward nod. “Come on up, Dean, and introduce yourself!”

Dean stiffened in his seat. “Uh, I think you covered it.”

Kelly patted him on the knee and smiled. She was scheming something and he didn’t like it. “Go on, say something.”

Hannah started making her way over to Dean, determination in her stride. “Ah, no that’s al-” Dean tried to argue before she grabbed his arm and pulled him from his seat.

“Come on up, Dean,” Hannah pushed, her fingers like a vice around his bicep.

“You’re stronger than you look,” Dean mumbled as he was pushed to the front of the fire, all eyes on him. She clapped him on the shoulder and stood off to the side as he scanned the group of ten or so omega’s. 

“Uh, hi,” he started awkwardly. All eyes stayed on him, though it was helping his nerves that most of the faces looked friendly. “As Hannah said, my name’s Dean Winchester. I’m from Kansas.”

“How long have you been here, Dean?” Someone asked.

“A few months.”

“So they’re still taking people?” Another voice asked.

“Uh yea, they never stopped. Although, Chicago was the biggest raid.”

“Is anyone trying to save us?” Another voice joined in.

“Yea.” Dean cleared his throat and allowed himself to take in all the new expressions. Many of them were scared, but not of their situation. They were scared of his answer. Dean figured anyone would be afraid of the answer if he had been in their shoes. No one wants to hear if no one was going to be saving them. Thankfully, Dean didn’t have to break bad news to them.

“Yes. There's a lot of people out there trying to do something. Even people in other countries are protesting for your, our, release.”

The group began to murmur before another voice cried, “why is it taking so long?” That question propelled their meeting into a frenzy as everyone started shouting questions in unison, some curious, some desperate, some crying.

“Do you know where our pups are?”

“How are you supposed to help us?”

“I just wanna see my family again.”

“Are the pups still alive?!”

Dean lifted his hands up and took a step back. He felt Hannah step up behind him before he turned to look her in the eyes. There was support there, but also questions of her own. With a deep breath, he turned back to the frantic group.

“Okay okay, hold on a second.” The voices simmered down slightly. “Look, things are messed up out there and they have been for a long time. After Chicago, people started to realize just how bad things have been for us.” 

The remaining voices stopped. Dean looked to Kelly who nodded her support for him to continue. “There is a group out there who is trying to help us get out, I promise, they just need time. As for your pups, I don’t know. Cas was the one who told me about them when I arrived, but I promise you, I will try and figure out what happened and where they are.”

“How?” A deeper voice rose from the back. “What makes you so special to know any kind of information?”

Dean cleared his throat. He was almost certain the voice belonged to Inias. “I can’t say much right now, but please believe me when I say I have your best interests at heart. Cas was right, I am here to help.”

“Yea, we’ll see.” The energy in their group drifted into uncertainty.

Hannah took that moment to step up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. He sighed in relief. “Thank you, Dean,” She said, gently pushing him back towards his seat. “We appreciate everything you’re doing. And congratulations to you and Castiel.”

Dean tilted his head with a frown, “Congratulations?”

Hannah grinned and nodded. “You’ve mated! That’s worthy of a celebration.”

Dean groaned and shook his head, “We’re not mated.”

“Sure, sure.” Hannah waved her hands in dismissal which only frustrated Dean more. The more people who believed their mating was real, the harder it was going to be when the bond would break. The last thing he would want around him during a bond break would be others who were sad the bond was breaking for him. Emotions like that would extend the suffering. He knew from experience. His father suffered for years. 

Dean rolled his eyes and took his place back next to Kelly.

“Good job,” Kelly whispered into his ear. “I think the other omegas actually like you.”

Dean huffed, “Yea, everyone except Inias.”

Kelly leaned back and cleared her throat. Dean watched her curiously. “Like I said, all in good time.”

“Sure.” 

The rest of the meeting went much smoother than Dean’s portion had. Each omega had a chance to step forward and talk about any concerns they had. Most just talked about how their alpha counterparts were doing after their pups were taken, while others spoke about the additional guard interactions that had happened while Cas was gone. Apparently guards had been patrolling the grounds nearly daily almost immediately after Cas had been taken and had harassed some of the omegas and alphas.

“We can’t risk our alpha being taken again,” a woman with beautiful dark skin and braided hair stated. She was being strong, but Dean could see how she struggled to keep it together. He recognized her from dinner that first night. She was one of the parents of the taken pups. “He’s the only reason they’ve left us alone all these years.” 

“Inias?” Dean turned to see Duma had made her way over to the small group and was whispering loudly towards the man in question. The omega stood and wandered over. 

Dean couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he hadn’t needed to. She placed a hand on Inias’s back and guided him out of the clearing and towards Cas’s hut. The same hut that Dean had slept in the night before. Where he would be sleeping again if Dean had anything to say about it.

In a sense, Dean knew nothing was going to happen, but in another, If Inias had once been Cas’s - what had Amelia called it? Rut Mut? - then there was no telling what Cas wanted from him. What if Dean hadn’t satisfied the alpha enough and he needed to get relief from an omega who could do it right? What if Inias and Castiel had been planning on mating before Cas was forced to be with Dean? What if-

“Hey.” Dean jumped at a hand squeezing his knee. Kelly was looking at him concerned as she rubbed her nose. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Dean shifted in his seat and tried not to scowl at the retreating pair. “I’m gonna get some air.”

He couldn’t help himself. Cas summoned his ex to their hut and he was curious, so sue him. Dean took the path to the right and followed it until he stepped out of the firelight. Cas’s hut wasn’t too far from where he was so he carefully stepped off the dirt path and towards the hut.

“Inias, please,” he heard Cas plead as Dean crept up behind the hut, “I’m sorry.”

Dean reached the hut and pressed his back along the side underneath one of the small windows. The two seemed to have already started their argument and Dean was late to the party.

“You’re sorry!” Inias boomed. “You bonded with another omega!”

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” Cas said, desperation coloring his tone. 

Dean’s legs grew weak and he slid down the wall onto the grass below, his heart pounding in his chest. He was going to finally get the answers he was seeking and he had a sinking feeling it wouldn’t be what he hoped.

“So he means nothing to you, then?” Inias pushed.

“That’s not what I said.”

“Then what did you say? What  are you saying? Cuz before you left it was going to be me and you, now he’s here and you bare his bite-”

“What do you want me to say?” Cas interrupted. Dean wished more than anything that he could see them.

“I want you to be honest with me!” Inias begged.

“I am!”

“No, you’re not! You’re trying not to hurt my feelings and I need you to stop. Just tell me, please. Do you love him?”

Dean held his breath. Love him? They barely knew each other! Dean didn’t love Cas, he just enjoyed being bonded to him and wanted to get to know the alpha better. To love him was just too strong, especially after a week. He knew Cas would be rational and say no, but a clenching in Dean’s chest told him there was a right and wrong answer, no matter how hard he tried to suppress it. 

“Inias-”   
A loud stomp echoed around Inias’s yelled, “Do you love him!”

Dean knew the right thing to do was walk away. To avoid hearing the answer and whatever emotion would be dredged up from it. But of course he wouldn’t. Instead, he pulled the cloth around his neck up to his nose and breathed deep. He needed all the support he could get.

“Dean and I-” Cas started softly. Dean strained to hear every word. “-we’ve been through much together. Yes we bonded, but it’s just a one sided scent bond. It will break easily with time.”

Dean deflated. So Cas knew it was Dean’s fault then. Was that why he avoided speaking to Duma about it? He didn’t want to hurt Dean’s feelings?

“What does that mean, Castiel? Do you love him or not?”

Dean stayed as still and quiet as he could, waiting for Cas’s response. 

“It means,” Cas started cautiously, “the answer to your question isn’t as simple as you believe it to be.”

“Actually it is, alpha, you just don’t want to say it.” Dean hated that he agreed with the omega. Why couldn’t he just say he didn’t want to be bonded to Dean? “So i’ll say it instead. We’re done.”

Dean’s eyebrows shot up. He had not expected that in the slightest. In fact he expected to have to secretly battle it out for Cas’s affection until the day of escape. Although he wouldn’t actually have battled it out. If Cas wanted to be with Inias then that was his prerogative. Dean wouldn’t have been happy, but he was happy now knowing that altercation didn’t have to happen. Plus, it seemed his affections for Cas were one sided anyways. 

“I’m so sorry, Inias.” Cas’s voice sounded defeated and guilty.

“Good-bye, Castiel.” Dean listened as the sound of Inias leaving the hut let him know Cas was finally alone. 

He had two options. Go back to the omega meeting and pretend he never heard anything, or go inside and finally address the elephant in the room with Cas. He knew what he should do, but the idea of looking Cas in the eyes and hearing him tell Dean it was one sided to his face, Dean wasn’t sure he would be able to keep it together. If breaking their bond would fix things, then breaking the bond was what needed to happen. He could give Cas that. He just needed a way to apologize for the mess he caused.

Finding a third option, Dean stood up and headed down the dark path. Hopefully Cas would be asleep by the time he would return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Dean is figuring out what the scent bond means to him. Was it a good idea that he eavesdropped on his and Inias's argument? Think he'll ever actually talk to Cas about it?
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments or visit me on tumblr and shoot me a message! [@Zeeimpalaangel](http://zeeimpalaangel.tumblr.com/)


End file.
